A young man subjected his girlfriend to a prolonged period of abusive behaviour including locking her in his house, trapping her fingers in a door, and pressing his foot down on her neck as she lay on the floor.
Liam McCann also repeatedly threatened Georgia Oram and would monitor her social media usage and accuse her of seeing other men.
She was left with bruising to her body on a number of occasions but when arrested the 21-year-old told police he had been the victim with his girlfriend responsible for controlling behaviour including turning his friends against him.
Cardiff Crown Court was told McCann, of Raglan Close in Talywain, Pontypool, began offending against his girlfriend in early 2017 when the pair were both aged 17.
During an argument in April of that year McCann grabbed Ms Oram’s arm and squeezed it tightly causing her to flee his home. McCann then sent a text message blaming her for the incident, telling her he was sorry and that he still loved her.
Despite the incident the relationship continued but McCann became paranoid she was cheating on him and in December 2017 he pushed Ms Oram to the floor.
Prosecutor Martha Smith-Higgins told the court: “He then put his foot on her neck and pushed down. She could not breathe and felt pain and it lasted for what felt like two minutes. She tried to move him but he eventually moved his foot himself.”
Ms Oram was left with a mark on her neck but McCann apologised and the relationship continued.
In February 2018 he punched her in the leg and the following month he pushed her to the side of the her head leaving her with a black eye. When police arrived at the property McCann had left but left Ms Oram locked inside forcing her to climb out through a window.
In August while she was standing in the doorway of a bedroom in his home he crushed her fingers in the door frame – leaving her in “excruciating pain”. She attended A&E the following day and needed to take time off work.
In October he again grabbed her arm and also took her phone from her and found messages from other men causing him to push her to the floor.
The following February he messaged her about a broken phone charger and told her: “I want a new charger you cheeky c**t. I will break your neck.”
In June 2019 he also messaged her to say: “Do not f***ing mess with me – you will not like it, got that? Do not play mind games. I will flip, do you understand?”
That month he also took Ms Oram’s phone and accused her again of cheating after checking her social media, calling her a slag and a cheat.
Despite the intervention of his mother Ms Oram left their home but McCann chased after her and kicked her in the leg, grabbed her neck, and pushed her up against a bus stop.
He was eventually interviewed by police that same month when he claimed not to have assaulted Ms Oram and claimed she had been the manipulative partner in the relationship.
The court was told McCann had a previous suspended sentence for battery with a different complainant.
He had pleaded guilty to a single charge of coercive and controlling behaviour on the day he was due to stand trial.
Mitigating, Gareth Williams told the court his developed such behaviour “as a counter to being abandoned himself”, adding: “There are big issues there. This is a damaged young man.”
He said McCann might be suitable for building better relationships courses highlighted in a pre-sentence report, adding: “His behaviour needs to be challenged and as a young man he can be rehabilitated. His immaturity is a contributing factor – there is no doubt about that.”
Recorder Mark Powell QC told McCann: “Your relationship started well but it deteriorated because of your behaviour.
“You subject Ms Oram to repeated violent behaviour which left her with a black eye. You locked her in your home, you took her mobile phone, and you crushed her fingers.
“You caused a major scene at her 18th birthday that ruined the occasion for her and her family. You were young and immature and stupid in the way you conducted your relationship with Ms Oram.”
However, he noted McCann’s guilty plea, and the time it had taken for the case to come to court and agreed to suspend a 22-month jail sentence for two years “because of the passage of time, because of your immaturity the pre-sentence report talks about”.
He added: “You have to learn how to behave yourself otherwise there will be other girlfriends and women to suffer. If you make one false move you will come back to court and take whatever medicine is given to you.”
McCann was also told to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work but because of his lack of means no compensation order was issued.
The defendant broke down in the dock during sentencing and Recorder Powell told him: “It is all very well for you to cry in the court but I am afraid as is often the case that behaviour is like that of all bullies when they are caught out – they can’t take the punishment meted out to them.”
If you or someone you know is affected by domestic abuse visit the Live Fear Free website or call the helpline on 0808 80 10 800.
